Lock for shift levers for automobiles



July 27,1926. l .1,593,843

' E. V. NOSER LOCK FOR SHIFT `LEVERS FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed April ll, 1921 Punted July 27, 1926. l Y

- UNITED STAT ESY 'PATENT oF-FICE. Y

man. v. no'snn., or sfr. LoUIs, IIssoUnn'AssIeNon 'ro nosnn ms'rnm: Auro Loox centraux, or s'r. Louis, mssounnn CORPORATION onmssoimn Loox ron snnrrLnvnBs rolaumouon'mns.

' n'ppueatin meu April 11, 1921. serial 1ra-460,276.

This invention relates to locks for shift levers of automobiles.-

An object of the invention is to provide an improved locking device forA locking the shift lever ofan automobile and which is of a stronger and more durable construction than devices usually employed for that purose.

Fi 4 is a sectional view on the line 4--4 of ig. 2 showingY features of the locking device. .j y f 25, Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1. v

My present invention is an improvement u on the invention disclosed in my Patent o. 1,313,412, dated August 19, 1919. As l0 shown, there are two shafts 1 and 2, each-of which is shiftable axially in either direction, but which shafts in standard equipment are incapable of simultaneous axial movements. g These shafts are connected'with a control 35 mechanism `which is not shown, as a disclosure of such mechanism and the connection of said, shaft therewith is not needed for present purposes. ,The shaft 1 supports two arms 3 and the sha-ft 2 supports two arms 4,

lwhich are similar'to the arms 3. The arms 3 and 4 are rigid onthe shafts 1 and 2 respectively, and'extend toward eachother so that when the two shafts are in idle or neutral position, the arms 3 are`in alignmentV with `the arms 4 respectively, as shown in Figs. 3-

and' 5. l

My improved shift lever comprises a rod 5 extending through and having ri d connection with a ball pivot 6,. 4mounte in a support 7 for turning movement in any direction; a tubular member 8 enclosing the rod y5 that` 'extends through the ball 6; and an angular handle member'9extendi-ng into the upper end of thetube 8 and having a handle 55 10 on its upper end. The upper end vof the Another object of the invention is to 'prof tube 8'i`s pressed upon the lower end of the handle rod 9, and saidparts are further ri I idly united by a pin 11 passing therethroug A sprrng 120i the expansion type is located within the tube 8. The lower end of the han- 'dle Vlrod 9 constitutes )an abutment for the upper end-of thespring; and the upper end of therod 5, which rod is not movable axially, constitutes an abutment for the lower endl of the spring., The tube 8 extends through the ball 6 and'is axially movable,

being provided with slots 13 -for the pin 14,- by which the rod 5' is sup 5 from axial movement, but due to the presence of -t-he slots 13, does not prevent axial movement 'of the tube 8. Y The lower end of the rod 5 is between the` arms -3 and 4 and is capable of movement laterally to engage only'the arms 3 or only` the arms 4, as desired. Thus, when it is desired to shift the -shaft 1, the shift lever is oscillated first to position in which the lower end of the rod 5 is out of engagement with the arms 4 and is located between the arms 3; after which the shift level' may be moved in another direction to shift the-shaft 1 axially and on the other hand, thev shift lever is oscillated first to position in which the lower end of the rod 5 is out of engagement with them-ms 3 and is between the arms 4, after which the shift lever may be operated to shift the shaft 2 without interference by the arms 3. t

In the normal position the lower end of the tube 8 is above the arms 3 and 4, thus permitting the sli-ift lever to be oscillated as described. When it is desired to 'lock the shift lever in inoperative or neutral position, the shafts 1 and 2 are adjusted in the positions shown in Fig. 5, afteruwhich the tube 8 `is forced downwardly in opposition to the power of the spring12to a position in which the lower end of the tube A8 is between the arms 3 and 4 and a sutlicient distance below the adjacent surfaces of Athe sleeves with which `said arms are connected to prevent lateral lmovement ofthe 'shift lever. The lower end of the tube 8 is provided with flat surfaces 15, parallel with the adjacent walls or surfaces of the sleeves with'whicli the arms 3 and 4 are united. The formation lof .the flat surfaces 15 reduces the diameter of' ported in connection with the ball. The pin 14 holds the rod provided for that purpose.

serted in locking position. As shown, the diameter of the tube 8 is greater than the space in which it is necessary to move the end of the tube, so that reduction in the diameter of the tube is required: The shoulders 16 above the flat' surfaces 15 will serve to prevent the tube from becoming wedged in locking position should the parts become so disarranged as to permit the tube 8 to movethat far.

e The lock which I have provided as a part of the present invention is arranged substan-v tially as shown. The lock bolt 17 is supported wfithin a case 18 which is rigid with the tube 8. The lock bolt is operatively supported in an appro riate recess or housing in the lock case, an is pressed inwardly by a spring 19. The lock bolt is formed with a groove '20 to receive the end of a lever or arm 21, carried by the barrel 22 of the lock which is capable of manipulation by a key in the usual manner. The lock bolt 17 is arranged to engage with the rod 5 to lock the tube 8 in itsV above positions. The rod 5 is provided with a notch 23 which receives the end of the lock bolt 17 when the tube 8 is in its lowler or locking positionv in. which the lower end of the tube is located between the arms 3 and 4, as described and as shown in Fi 1. Since it is necessary to raise the tu 8 to remove the lower end thereof from between the arms 3 and 4 before the shift lever can be manipulated, the lock bolt 17 must be disengaged from the notch 23 before the tube-8 can be moved axially. This requires the use of a key in the lock.

When thefllock is disengaged to permit up- Ward `movement of the tube 8, the tube will be automatically moved by the spring 12. Upwlard movement of the tube 8 will be limited by the slots 13 as well as by engagement of the lock bolt'17 in .a notch 24 The notch 24 is below the lower end'of the spring 12 so that it is impossible for the lock bolt to become engaged with the: spring.

The tube 8 supports a cover 25 which con-l a tacts with the pivot support 7 when the shiftV lever is in locked position and thus prevents access to any of the parts cooperating wfith the pivot supporting the shift lever.

This cover is an important feature of the invention. It aords ease of access tothe parts when unlocked and prevents such access when locked. It prevents removal of the shift lever when locked, and renders removal easy when unlocked, thus affording vgreat ease of assembling and disassembling.

member for shifting said shaft axially, a

support, a pivoted element mounted in the support for supporting the lever member.

.and a cover slidable on the lever member to cover the pivoted element and a part of the support to prevent access thereto when the lever is not in use.

2. A device of the character described comprising a lever member, a support, a pivoted element mounted in the support for supporting thelever member, a cover slidable on the lever member to position to cover the pivoted element and a part of the support to prevent access thereto when the lever vInember is not in use, and a lock for locking the cover with the lever member to hold the cover in position to prevent access to the pivoted element and the part of said support covered by said cover.

3. A device of the Ycharacter described comprising a support, a pivoted element mounted in said support, an axially immovable rod carried by said pivoted element,

a cover above and movable to position to prevent access to said pivoted element, and a ylock for holding said cover in rigid relationship to said rod in position to prevent access'to said pivoted element.

EMIL V. NOSER. 

